


Bruises Make for Better Conversation

by Beatles_and_Bellarke



Series: Deamus One Shots [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Child Abuse, F/M, Gen, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Multi, it ends okay but it’s ANGST for the most part, pretty gritty tbh, sorry - Freeform, this one got dark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:42:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24053842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beatles_and_Bellarke/pseuds/Beatles_and_Bellarke
Summary: Seamus Finnigan is the Carrow’s prime target. And he knows exactly why.
Relationships: Lavender Brown/Seamus Finnigan, Seamus Finnigan/Dean Thomas
Series: Deamus One Shots [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1670848
Comments: 3
Kudos: 41





	Bruises Make for Better Conversation

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy this gritty Deamus fic....my longest story for sure.
> 
> Hit me up on twitter, @newtmastheglue!

The anxiety continuously thrumming in Seamus’s body refused to dissipate. He knew he couldn’t do anything to help Dean (wherever he was) but that didn’t stop the dreams from bombarding him at night. 

It didn’t end the cold sweats. Lavender often burst in hearing his screams. She sat on his bed, where Dean used to be, and held Seamus as he cried. But today was different. Today he was going to focus.

Seamus awoke early that morning. He made his way down to breakfast, a mournful glance at Dean’s bed as he left. Neville joined him. 

“Shay, look at this.” Neville slammed the paper down on the Gryffindor Table. The headline was something about a mysterious disappearance (not to anyone’s surprise of course). But it was one of the smaller headlines that caught Seamus’s attention. 

_ Missing: Dean Thomas _

_ Date of birth: 7 Jan 1981 _

_ Description: tall, dark-skinned, curly black hair _

_ Last seen: at home _

_ If seen please contact mother or sisters. We are missing you, Deanie. _

Seamus felt all air leave his lungs. He was living in one of his nightmares. He didn’t know where to turn or what to do. He wished he could send a letter to Mrs. Thomas, calming her nerves as much as he could with his own the way they were. But he’d told Dean neither of them would send letters to each other or their families in fear of Dean’s discovery. So instead Seamus’s stomach became tied in knots. Suddenly he wasn’t hungry. 

Seamus stood, taking the article with him, running his eyes over Dean’s name. He’d have it practically memorized by the end of the day. But at least it was something tangible. Being that Dean himself was not. 

“I’m headed to class.” Seamus said in a voice that wasn’t really his. Neville watched him leave, an apologetic look in his eye. 

Lavender admonished him gently for bringing up the article once Seamus was out of earshot. Neville knew she was right, but he wanted Shay to know people were looking for Dean. That he wasn’t alone in his worry. Lavender smiled. 

“You have a good heart, Nev.” She said and went back to her toast. 

Seamus’s head was full of Dean that morning, not potions. He thought about Dean’s smile, his laugh, the way they’d hold each other when sleeping in the much too small four-poster they now shared. His hands, skillfully holding a pencil as he sketched.

Seamus Couldn't stop thinking. Dean had been missing since the beginning of the year. Of course Seamus, Lavender and Parvati knew why. 

Dean told them all together when he was leaving. But to everyone else in Gryffindor Tower, Dean was just gone. And Seamus was left alone.

He left Potions class in a haze. As he walked down the hall to the common room, he saw Alecto Carrow attempting to sneak up on him. Whipping out his wand, Seamus whirled. 

“What do  _ you _ want?” Seamus sneered, a harsh glare answering his words. 

“Where are you going, Mr. Finnigan?” Alecto’s eyes narrowed at him. Then she noticed the paper peeking out of his messenger bag.

The newspaper was open to the missing poster and before Seamus could stop her, she had it out of the bag, malicious glee on her face. 

“The Thomas boy, hmm? Filthy Muggle scum.” Seamus’s fists balled up. But he knew that punching her would be exactly what Dean has warned him not to do this year while he was gone. So he kept his composure. 

“Wherever he is, I hope we never have to see him again. If he died though, it would be a waste. I’d have liked to do it. Perhaps in front of others as an example.” 

Seamus didn't remember leaping at her, but the next thing he knew she was on the ground, taking his fist to her face. The anger blazed in her eyes and she shoved him off her. 

“DETENTION, MR. FINNIGAN. TONIGHT.” With that she stood shakily and limped back to her office. 

Seamus groaned. He’d promised Dean he’d stay out of trouble. But Alecto Carrow had it coming. Besides, Dean would have been proud. Seamus climbed through the portrait hole moments later. Seeing all his friends except Dean in the arm chairs drove home the feeling from earlier. Every moment without Dean was an ache. 

“Shay, I just wanted to say I’m sorry.” Neville interrupted Seamus’s thoughts. He glanced at the other boy curiously. 

“Sorry for what?” 

“For the article. I shouldn’t have made you scared.” 

“Oh, Neville I’m alright really. Ye didn’t frighten me with that. But I do still have it if ya wanted the paper back.” Seamus dove into his messenger bag only to realize that blasted Carrow woman probably took it out of his bag and straight to her office. 

“I have detention with the Carrows tonight so I’ll knick it from the office when I’m done.” 

“Why did you get detention again?” Neville shook his head. 

“She called Dean….Muggle scum so I punched her.” The collective gasp around the room reflected exactly how Seamus felt as well. The rest of his friends looked ready to fight. 

“That does it.” Neville’s air of finality punctuated the odd silence. “Seamus, go do your detention and then meet us back here. We are moving to the Room of Requirement to plan our battle strategies.” Seamus’s eyes lit up in excitement. He’d been itching to stage a revolution. 

  
  


Seamus walked up, expecting a regular detention. All he saw in the middle of the office was an uncomfortable looking chair. Alecto Carrow loomed in the doorway, holding Neville’s article. She bore down on Seamus, a terrifying look in her eyes. 

“You’re going to tell me everything you know about that Thomas boy. Such as his family, where to find him...anything else we feel fit to ask. If you don’t speak, I’ll let my brother go.”

Seamus’s heart raced. He wasn’t about to give Dean away. He had to think of something. 

“Dean? Oh yes he’s beautiful. Absolutely stunning. And his curly hair poofs out everywhere, he’s got these gorgeous dark eyes.“ but before Seamus could finish his thoughts, a punch hit him in the jaw, hard. Seamus glared harder, knowing exactly why he was punched. 

“Oops. Should have kept a better hold on my brother.” Alecto didn’t sound sorry at all. Seamus’s stomach clenched. “Now you’re going to answer OUR questions or face my brother again.” 

Looking down at the old scar on the back of his hand where Umbridge dealt a worse punishment than even what he was enduring now, Seamus realized he could fight this. He was not about to give the Carrows the satisfaction. 

“No, I really don’t think I am.” Suddenly, Seamus was on the ground again; this time a pain on his cheek. 

“Our first question is: Who IS Dean Thomas?” 

“That’s a rather broad question.” Seamus’s smart ass comment landed him flat on his back, entire body aching. “But I’ll try to answer as best I can.” He took a deep breath as if preparing a speech. 

Alecto looked on, waiting for him to speak. 

“Dean is my best mate. I love him dearly and I’m not sure who I’d be if I wasn’t his friend.” He glanced over to see if the joke was holding but alas it wasn’t. “Is there anything else you’d like to know?” Another stinging cheek meant no. So Seamus waited for one of the bumbling idiots to speak. 

“Do you know where he is living?” Seamus was NOT about to rat out Dean’s family. Little Kendra Thomas, smart and sassy Lyssi and of course Dean’s wonderful and accepting mother and step-father who embraced Seamus when he was at his lowest. 

“I do not.” Seamus chose to respond. It wasn’t a total lie. He really wasn’t sure where Dean was. But it earned him a fist in the stomach. He doubled over in pain, ready to throw up. 

“If you refuse to answer this final question, I will have to discuss the manners of your punishment.” Not an empty threat, Seamus knew. But he refused to let it effect his steady ground. 

“Do your worst. You won’t be getting answers from me tonight.” Seamus’s voice seemed much farther away than he expected. His goading both excited and disappointed the Carrows who weren’t prepared to deal with a snarky 17 year old. 

“Are you into other male wizards? Pure or half-blood, does not matter.” The question chilled Seamus’s blood. He didn’t know how to respond, how to act. Of course he was. This had been true for many years. But to hear it pop out of Alecto Carrow’s mouth; even Seamus couldn’t possibly make this up. 

“I’m not sure how to answer that.” It was the bitter, harsh truth. He didn’t know how to answer it. But he knew the answer they were looking for so he gave it to them all the same. “But I  _ do _ know I love Dean. And no one can look me in the eyes and say that’s wrong of me to think.” 

A swift kick to his legs and Seamus fell to the floor. Every fiber of his being ached for rest. A reprieve. The Carrows soon got bored of Seamus. They told him to leave. That they didn’t want to see his face in that room again. And left.

Seamus couldn’t believe his luck. He dragged his bruised body back to Gryffindor’s common room. But he only made it ¾ of the way to the portrait hole when he collapsed. The last he remembered before it all went black was Lavender rushing to his side. 

“SHAY. Someone please go get Madame Pomfrey! Seamus is very hurt. Shay! Shay can you hear me?” Seamus tried to nod but he was asleep before he could. 

Seamus woke in the Hospital wing the next morning. Or what he thought was the hospital wing. It didn’t look quite the same. But then again, Hogwarts had also really changed. 

“Oh good you’re awake. I can dress your bandages. How on earth did you sustain these injuries?” Poppy Pomfrey rushed around, grabbing everything she needed to treat Seamus’s wounds. 

“Detention last night.” Seamus spoke so casually he could hardly believe it himself. Madame Pomfrey’s eyes grew wide, but then softened. 

“You still have plenty of bruising and it won’t heal for a bit. But aside from that you seem alright. No brain injuries from your fall or anything else which could cause you to not go about your day to day.” Seamus smiled gratefully at the kind nurse, who smiled back. Seamus realized that was the only time he’d seen haughty Madame Pomfrey smile. He relished in the moment and then Ginny came in to see him, along with Lav, Par and Neville. 

“How are you?” Lavender piped up, nervously giving him the once over. 

“Never better.” Came his simple response. Lavender looked like she was the one with multiple injuries. “I’m sorry, Lav. That was a stupid thing to say. I’m doing well. Or as well as one might expect.” 

“Wonderful news!” Lavender sat gingerly on his bed, clutching his hand. “We have to report this abuse.” 

“To whom? Snape’s headmaster.” 

“We still have one more person we can trust fully and completely.” 

Lavender had a twinkle in her eyes he only saw when she was planning something out. An excitement; it permeates every room Lav goes to. 

“Do you mean-?” Dean and Lavender had made a pact with McGonagall last year that if anyone needed help, they could come to her. Everyone saw this take over comin. Which meant they all had time to prepare. 

“We’ll go see her. You feel better, Seamus. I’ll go talk to McGonagall. We can figure this out. In the meantime, Neville, get Shay back to bed, leave him resting as long as he needs to while we’re gone.” Lavender demanded she be heard and she got what she needed. Her marching orders were always listened to. 

Seamus made a noise of protest; he wasn’t a child! But he knew Lavender was right. So he lamented and lay back on his pillow.

“Sweet dreams, Shay.”

Lavender’s voice was the last thing Seamus heard before he slipped into a finally dreamless sleep.


End file.
